An eight-month-old baby girl in Bukidnon was left on the side of the road after her stepfather allegedly took her from her grandmother's house in the town of Cabanglasan.

The stepfather was with his nephew when he allegedly took the baby away but during a chase with concerned citizens, the motorcycle they were riding reportedly stumbled and the two fell to the ground.

Out of fear, the suspect’s nephew reportedly left the baby on the side of the road but authorities still caught up with him. His uncle just left him and fled.

Concerned residents rescued the baby.

According to the nephew, his uncle simply told him to hold the baby and he did not know why they were being chased.

He said he tried to hand the baby over to someone when he and his uncle fell but that person did not take the child so he put the baby down on the ground.

“Ako man gihatag ang bata unya wala man tungod ra pud sa akong kahadlok muna akong gihatag ang bata sa nakabuno unya wala man niya gidawat (muna) akoang (gibutang) sa daplin,” he said.

The Barangay Health Center said the baby is safe.

The baby’s grandmother said her daughter and the suspect have separated so she decided to take care of the child while her daughter works in Cagayan de Oro.

She said they were surprised when the suspect went to her house and took the child away.

“Gibakog niya sa duyanan ingon dayun siya og “baby magpurol ta baby” ug iyang gipurolan. Wala lang pud ko mao to nagtimpla ko og gatas nigawas man siya gibitbit niya ang bata,” the grandmother said.

The police are pursuing the suspect, as of this writing.